Jamestown Homes shows cooperative approach

April 16, 2006|GENE STOWE Tribune Correspondent

Twenty years ago, when his wife Joyce suggested moving into Jamestown Homes of Mishawaka, Rich Pittman wasn't really excited about leaving their home in northern South Bend. "My wife worked with a couple of people who lived here and made her aware of it," he recalls. "She convinced me after a lot of hard work for us not to have to take care of the house we were living in. "I kind of came kicking and screaming. Sometimes change is hard. This is a home. Now I realize that. It didn't take me long at all. We ended up with four bedrooms, but we don't have to take care of everything. It's a little more easy living." Now Joyce is events coordinator for the 160-unit housing cooperative at Corby and Hickory in Mishawaka, and Rich is on the five-member board that oversees the community's $1 million budget. "Housing cooperatives are operated differently than conventional apartment communities, explains office manager Kris Frazier-Claxton. "There are no owners trying to make a profit, so our residents are member-owners of a not-for-profit corporation and have one-share ownership," he said. "The board of directors, who live here, make decisions on membership, rules and projects for the cooperative." Since 1995, Jamestown has been professionally managed by Kirkpatrick Management Co. of Indianapolis, whose services include drafting an annual budget for the board and overseeing daily operations of the property. The community, built in the mid-1960s, is in a transition period. It's paid off a HUD-backed loan and will be finished with HUD rules, including income requirements, in June 2007 when the board will made decisions about the future. The board has already decided to keep the community a cooperative. "Members invest a modest equity amount depending on the size of the unit they are in and may be entitled to a mortgage interest deduction and real estate deduction on their taxes," Frazier-Claxton says. "Carrying charges range between $362 and $448, depending on the size of the unit. "The monthly carrying charge includes water and gas, which operates the furnace, stove, water heater and dryer. Members are responsible for the electric, telephone, television services, etc." Liz Barth and her husband, who had retired to Florida from South Bend for nine years, chose Jamestown when they moved back almost 20 years ago. "It's close to everything, and yet nothing is intrusive," says Barth, who has been on the board 18 of the 20 years she has lived in the neighborhood. She has been president many times and is now secretary. "There's wild animals. There's plenty of activities here." Activities include cards, bingo, a monthly coffee that drew 32 people recently, an annual picnic and occasional excursions, such as bus trips to Blue Chip Casino. A trip to the casino last November was so popular that another one has been scheduled for May. "We try to keep it pretty lively," says Joyce Pittman. "For the last four or five years, we've been having a picnic out here. It gets bigger and better every year. We try and keep it as busy as we can and keep people getting to know one another." The community is attracting more young families and a richly diverse population, including Russian, Chinese, Western European and Bosnian families. "When my husband and I moved here, there weren't very many children," Barth says. "There were some. Little by little, more and more of them have moved in. We have from college age on down to newborns. "We have this very diverse population. It's been a very interesting kind of thing to have happen. Little by little, we have at least one person in each family who can speak English." Enisa Spahic, who moved to Jamestown three years ago after a friend recommended it, says her 10-year-old and 5-year-old enjoy the neighborhood's recently expanded playground. "It's a nice community," she says. "I'm happy here. It's a townhouse. You have your own entrance and your own backyard." "It's nice to see these children running around and playing," says Joyce Pittman, who has eight grandchildren. "It's not like you're isolated There's benches in the playground where you can sit and watch the children." The association works hard to keep the property well-maintained, with perimeter fencing and sufficient lighting to make residents feel safe and deter crime. Last year, kitchens and bathrooms were remodeled and attic areas got more insulation. "We've been really pleased with the way we've been able to maintain the appearance," Barth says. "About 1995, we put in all windows and doors. We have recently completed new roofing on all the buildings. "It isn't a rental. It's a co-op, and you own one voting unit. You own the right to live here as long as you want, as long as you pay your carrying charge on time and follow the rules." Residents take better care of their property than most in rental units, neighbors say. "The people plant their flowers and get everything ready for summer," says Joyce Pittman, who enjoys spending time with her patio flowers. "It's a busy place. We love it. They all take a lot of pride in their patios and the front of their house." "People are allowed to do whatever they want with the interior of their houses," such as paint and wallpaper, Barth says. "All the exterior is maintained by our maintenance crew. We have a good maintenance staff. You put in a work order. Somebody comes and does what you need done. "This is a great place to live. When anybody understands what you're getting for your money, it's incredible. We have a short waiting list at the moment. We keep getting more and more."